Public Input Required to Rewrite Municipalities Legislation

Fredericton – The government of New Brunswick is working on a massive overhaul of the Municipalities and Community Planning Acts, hoping to introduce new legislation this fall. David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South and Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick is asking government to commence a meaningful public discussion on its legislative proposals before they are presented as bills in the Legislature.

“It is essential that communities have more power to be masters of their own destinies, but legislative changes must not re-introduce old inequalities,” said Coon.

The Green Party Leader wants the government to publish a White Paper on Municipal Reform to walk the public through the major elements of the coming legislative changes, and to strike a Select Committee of the legislature to receive input from New Brunswickers.

“To date, discussions about municipal reform have been limited to the inside baseball of the Department of Local Government,” said Coon. “A White Paper on Municipal Reform, designed to inform New Brunswickers about the key elements of the planned bills, and a Select Committee, mandated to hear from the public, will ensure that municipal reform is done the right way. This will safeguard the achievements of Equal Opportunity, while increasing the authority of municipalities to act in the best interests of their citizens.”